Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Excellence”
Our Bible verse for today: “So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Never, never, never give up.”
Winston Churchill is thought to have been one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Mostly he is remembered for leading England through one of the darkest and most difficult periods of that country’s long history.
For much of World War II the Nazis were winning and it seemed as if England was doomed. It was only towards the end of the War that the tide turned, and for much of the time before that, the Nazis bombed London. Every night, night after night, the bombs fell. Much of the city was destroyed, thousands were killed, and the people lived in fear. It seemed as if there was no way of stopping Hitler’s relentless assault.
But Winston Churchill refused to give-in or give-up. Day after day and night after night he exhorted the people to hang in there and to have faith. Over and over again he pounded his podium and insisted that as a nation they would “never, never, NEVER, give up!” And they didn’t. And eventually, they won. Hitler and his Nazi hordes were defeated, proving once again that nothing is over until you give up (and if you don’t give up – it isn’t over!)
In his book “The Traveler’s Gift”, author Andy Andrews lists persistence and perseverance as one of the seven key decisions a person must make in order to live a life of excellence and success. My personal paraphrase of that decision goes like this:
“I will persist and persevere without exception. I hold fast to my dreams and visions. I stay the course. I do not quit. Fatigue is often a precursor to victory. I will not be one of those who gave up just before the victory would have come. I waste little time worrying about how things are now, and focus instead on how they are going to be. In the game of life nothing is less important than the score at halftime. Trying times produce great men. I will persist and persevere without exception.”
Remember, nothing is over until you give up. So … don’t give up! Just keep at it until you achieve that God-given vision or goal, or until you have come through that difficult situation. The example of Winston Churchill encourages us to hang in there and never give up. That’s exactly the point the Apostle Paul was making too. Persistence and perseverance in doing what is good and right leads to success and even excellence.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 